


Dernière Danse

by lafemmestars



Category: Therapy with Dr. Albert Krueger (Video Game), 文森: G4人偶事件 | Vincent: Phantom of the G4 (Video Game)
Genre: Ballet AU, Contains spoilers up to chapter 3 of VTSOM, Gen, Loosely based off of Tiny Pretty Things (Book), The background ships are: Draco/MC Zalmona/MC and Vincent/Victor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28449750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lafemmestars/pseuds/lafemmestars
Summary: " The name wasn’t one they had heard before, but it was a strikingly beautiful name. Like an actual breath of fresh air. "
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 10





	1. Je danse avec le vent la pluie

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for chapter 3 of VTSOM ahead!
> 
> This is loosely based off of the book Tiny Pretty Things but doesn't need the context of the book at all, which is why it's a ballet au instead of an au for the book. Enjoy!

Being invited to something prestigious was a major form of flattery. That’s how you get roped into situations you wouldn’t have expected. 

“And it’s… Lee? Taylor Lee?”

They clutched their bag with two hands, nodding almost mechanically as their name was uttered. They could feel the way the woman was scrutinizing them by the way her eyes scanned over them. She grimaced as she walked towards the camera, motioning for them to move over. 

“Hurry now, you have to attend class soon. Hair up.” 

They threw their bag down and pulled a hair tie off of their wrist. They ran their fingers through their bangs, catching her glare out of the corner of their eyes. Uniformity never came easy to them. They continued and remained unbothered by pulling the long strands of their hair back, drawing the midnight colored hair that fell past their back up into a concise bun. They felt around for loose strands and pushed them into the bun quickly. They gave a quick glance back towards the window they stood at before and peered at the guy who leaned against it. 

They walked to the white wall and straightened out their sweater with a picky discontent. Maintaining an impassive smile, they stared at the lens. A bright flash of light forced their eyes closed. They winced and cringed as she looked down at the printer that whirred to life.

The start of their induction into a wildly prestigious academy. 

They glanced back again towards the window, able to see now the face of the guy waiting. He pushed against the glass, looking right at them with a half-lidded smile. With a flick of his wrist, he waved carelessly while they rolled their eyes. Before they could even realize it, the lady had pushed the card into their hands. She made a shooing motion to them as she turned away.

A rush came over them, only momentarily. They stared at what was now officially their’s, what now marked their alliance to the school. Even with this, they wouldn’t exactly smile, not yet.

They stepped back and cooly walked to the door. The moment they stepped out, they felt arms wrap around them tightly. Letting out a protesting noise, they turned their head to the perpetrator.

The guy smiled widely back at them and embraced them a little tighter. “Welcome to the academy!”

“On specific circumstances.” 

“But you’re here to stay. And that’s what matters, isn’t it?” He let them go, then promptly ruffled their hair. They swatted at his hand and shook their head as they began walking. “Oh please, they’ll definitely kick me out sooner than later.”

He followed after them and motioned around them. “With the talent you have? We’d be unstoppable if we were to be partnered.”

“There’s a reason you've been here and it’s just my first day.”

They smirked and crossed their arms, watching the people they passed by. Some younger dancers were stretching outside of class. They picked up on the small conversations floating around, complaints of classes, questions on certain combinations, and talked about a performance from the previous season all while keeping their bodies engaged. They stretched with ease for their next class, making it look like their limbs weren’t in searing pain. 

All smiles, surprisingly. 

“You’re here now, it’s just harder for those who do pointe to get in.”

He glanced over at a small congregation of girls, all stretching side by side. Though they talked easily with each other it was easy to see the little fake smiles they passed to each other. 

As soon as they came nearer, a few shot them a fierce look, camouflaged by their out of place smiles. They were all as competitive as ever. 

In return, Taylor let a smug smirk overtake their lips momentarily before turning forward again. “So now I’m a threat?”

“Everyone here becomes one some way or another. I can assure you that you’ll be quite a spectacular one if you’ve grown from when we last danced together.”

“What makes you so insistent that we’ll be partnered?” Albert simply smiled at their snark.

“Just a feeling.”

Taylor peered through the glass walls of the hallway, watching the few dancers inside. Most were waiting, others were more insistent on warming up and spun with considerable balance. The dancer rolled her shoulders back and effortlessly raised her head, holding the pose perfectly. Just a little longer than they ever could. They held their breath as she gently lowered herself, exhaling slowly as she glided into first position. 

They bit their lip and gave him a curt nod. He continued with a careful voice. They could see the shadowy look that overtook his eyes. “Well, I’m sure you’ll be a breath of fresh air for the teachers. Compared to the girl you’re taking the place of, anyways, they’ll be glad to have you.” Taylor perked up at his words and immediately narrowed their eyes. A girl. They were replacing another dancer, one that was good?

Mediocre?

Bad?

They gave a nervously dry chuckle. Fumbling with their collar, they kept a neutral expression and stopped just as he stopped. 

“Hopefully so then.”

A strict no-asking policy. Going down this rabbit hole meant something would come up that they didn’t want to hear, nor would Albert elaborate in a way they would want to hear it. His eyes always had a certain darkness shrouding them, secrets he’d hold. He’d never budge, his worst quality in their opinion.

“Either way, I’m quite glad I’ll have a dear friend with me in classes, have you gotten your general classes yet?” His expression shifted in a snap, replaced with a pleasant smile that graced his face. They nodded and sighed, forcing a grimace. 

“I did.”

Entertained easily with the talk, they distracted each other with the hollow conversation. They moved past similar rooms, only slipping into one that was partially empty. 

It was a gorgeous room, one that wasn’t exactly like the other rooms. Anything Albert was saying to them had slipped away from their mind. The windows that spanned fully over the wall gave a clear view to the trees and their outstretched branches. They were overcrowded with multicolor leaves that were slowly transforming from their healthy green color to their current stage of life. They were barely ruffled by the crisp air, followed by them falling with a light sway. The quiet, mutable light was enough to illuminate the room without any electricity. 

This was home now.

A hand fell on their back, making them jump as Albert’s voice filled their ears again. He smiled right at them, the same way they remembered he always had since childhood. The smile seemed like it had changed still as if it had matured too far for his face that was still a bit soft in comparison.

“So just don’t take the spot behind me on the barre, that one’s someone’s assigned place. Try to snag the middle barre since it’s your first day here, preferably. It’s all about first impressions now and it’d be amazing for you to prosper here… Who knows, maybe even… Decide to take this as a career?” 

He was one to talk. Taylor cleared their throat and nodded while he walked past them. They stood motionless, staring out the window again. The shadows were drawn out from the sunlight through the thin leaves, scattered out and leaving various patterns all over the pavement that was a floor below. They could feel their head begin to spin and quickly stepped back from the window, drawing in a tight breath. Without another thought, they tightened their hand around their bag and hurried to the middle. The barre was empty, up for the taking. They gleaned over to the watchful eyes of their acquaintance, inching over a spot when he shook his head their way. He nodded quickly from where he stood, then faced forward at his own spot against the glass wall. 

They dropped to the floor, slipping their I.D. in within a smaller pocket inside of their bag. They fished out their water and took a quick swig of it. They rubbed their chapped lips together and began to survey the room for the few other dancers that were around. 

One sat in an elegant position and rolled his ankle slowly. He leaned against a mirrored wall and was enamoured with the book resting in his hand. He had stark red hair, done messily for class. They wouldn’t be the only odd ones out. He continued to mindlessly thumb through pages, holding a few before flipping back to his previous page. Curious. He kicked up one leg, throwing it over the one he had been stretching in exchange for this one.

They blinked a few times and glanced towards the other corner.

Another dancer stood more towards the front of the same barre Albert stood at. Her white, gamine hair fell just close enough to her jawline, another hairstyle that was breaking the unspoken rules of ballet. She had her left hand on the barre, taking quick moments to lift herself into the box of her pointe shoes. She had an oversized, heavy cardigan over her sleek leotard, but the way her arm slightly trembled in sync with her legs were a dead giveaway. 

She went down quickly, clenching the barre until her palm turned white. Taylor could see her face in the mirror across from her, the nervously furrowed brows that made her piercing eyes intense. She tilted her head up and went again, tensing her whole body as she winced.

They looked away, feeling like they saw something they shouldn’t have. 

With the little knowledge they had now, the girl briefly mentioned before came to mind. 

Was she a troublemaker? Could she be out of place like the rest of the dancers she saw so far?

They knew at least their own appearance wouldn’t be much of a problem. They looked head-on into the mirror, fixing their bun quickly before reaching into their bag again. They pulled out a small case and popped it open, fishing out some bobby pins as they tried to keep from glancing over to anyone else.

Some newcomers entered, making a beeline for their spots. They all knew their places effortlessly. As Albert predicted, no one so far had come to claim their spot back. Taylor slipped a few bobby pins into their bun, consciously watching the other students pass them by. They took their pointe shoes out next, leaving them on the floor at their spot, then hefted up their dance bag. They slipped their shoes off when they stopped by the wall, pulling them off and throwing them into their bag. They plopped the bag down, feeling a strange sensation prickle at their neck. It trailed up uneasily, begging them to look to their left.

They craned their neck, meeting the immediate gaze of the guy they carefully scrutinized earlier. He smiled at them and shut the novel in his hand with a dramatic thud.

“So you’re the newbie… The prodigy.”

Taylor scoffed and let a dry grimace darken their face. Though it seemed like a compliment it would hold no bearing over themself without evidence.

“You must have me confused.”

“Half of us have seen your school’s dance videos-- They’re quite a sight. Albert went there too, didn’t he, my dear? You’re both scandalously good, I’m quite jealous,” He extended his hand with a smile. 

“I’m Victor, by the way. Victor Blake. You’re Taylor, aren’t you?” The man speaking smiled up at them, pale blue eyes crinkling with his smile. They took his hand, giving a firm shake.

“Yup. Taylor Lee. It’s nice to know my name hasn’t been trashed already.” 

He let out a hearty chuckle and grinned widely. “You think so highly of him, huh?”

“He’s not the one I’m worried about.”

“How quintessentially loyal of you,” His smile morphed into a dark smirk. Taylor pulled their hand back and nodded to him. He rose to his feet slowly, smiling as he grabbed the barre, claiming his rightful spot. “You should get your pointe shoes on, maybe we could practice together one day….” He faced forward, prepared fully to ignore them. They began to turn around, trying to take in the weird character they had just met. Something stopped them, the feeling of eyes on them.

“...But a word of advice, Taylor?” They fumbled with the edge of their sweater. 

“Yes?”

Victor’s voice was still the same, with just a bit more inflection. They could hear the small peaks of condescension that were picked carefully. 

“Be wary of Albert. Vanora apparently had issues with him last year.” They looked back at him. The name wasn’t one they had heard before, but it was a strikingly beautiful name. Like an actual breath of fresh air.

But it was also weirdly ominous. Her name was set up in a manner where it seemed like a looming threat. 

The next thing that hit them was the connection with Albert.

They walked towards their spot, eyeing the boy across from them. His smile gleamed in the sunlight as he went up on relevé. He stretched out one leg, looking at it with the mirror. He gave them the side-eye, smiling coldly. 

They were unable to shake the sudden shudder that went up to their spine. His icy stare had left them to meet it with a sharp glare. It was the one way they could retaliate, one he took whilst gracefully lifting himself again.

They quickly turned their attention to their shoes, going over them as they always had. First, they wrapped one ribbon around their ankle, stopping to grab the other and repeat, ending it by tying the two together. They thought about it carefully, tucking the loose ends in carefully. The same was done with the other, but more carefully this time. Carefully, they examined it over as a part of their own warmup ritual.

They stood and grabbed the barre with their left hand, just as a man entered. The room’s air shifted as soon as he stepped in. Conversations were silenced below a whisper, eyes were drawn to him, and almost in sync everyone nodded their head slowly to him. Taylor followed suit, compensating by raising their head quickly to blend it with the others. 

He smiled, but it didn’t put them at ease. He stepped forward and flashed his smile towards the whole class. He snapped his fingers, which echoed through the silent studio. 

“First position.”

They arranged their legs accordingly and pushed their heels together. They faced the mirror, able to see the ballet master pacing around. His suave voice continued to ring off the mirrors.

“I see Vincent hasn’t joined us yet, but I also see our new student has joined us,” He turned, his intense gaze resting immediately on Taylor. They lifted their chin and bit into their lip. He gradually made his way towards them.

“Start with tendus, to the front, back, and to the side.”

He walked towards where they stood, then looked in the mirror. They tensed, drawing their leg out, mindful to not crossover accidentally. He stared at the reflection, then turned to them. “So you’re Taylor Lee. It’s wonderful to have you, I’m sure you’ll prove your worth today. You’ll start us off in center today with Zalmona and Vincent, whenever he gets here, that is.” They noticed in the reflection the girl with white hair barely perking up her head. So that was Zalmona, but Vincent…

The illusive man, his name was familiar. Someone had mentioned it before, but not in this setting.

The door unnaturally slamming open answered their thoughts. 

Everyone in the room turned to the source, all bringing their attention to the guy standing with perfect posture. He had a similar effect the ballet master had, austerely moving across the room with a monotonous gaze. He bowed his head towards their teacher, then dropped his bag by the wall, and walked without any other acknowledgments.

Everyone, except for him, stayed perfectly still.

“Glad you could actually join us, Vincent.”

“I always do, Monsieur Myers. Your expectations of me have been low lately.”

The way he challenged the teacher: effortless. Taylor glanced across the room to Albert, who formed a hard line with his mouth as the man spoke. The same slightly tousled dark hair, similar builds, similar faces…

To top it off, he seemed visibly distressed as Vincent’s voice came out cooly. Though, he seemed to have that effect on the rest of the class anyways. 

“If only you’d bother to fix the root of it. Doesn’t matter, we can just skip ahead to center practice if you’re going to treat the class like this. Move the barres to the side and take off any warmups that will get in your way. Zalmona, Vincent, and Taylor please come forward when you’re all done.”

The class hurried to abide by his demands. The tone in his voice still resonated with them as they hurried to push the barre. Vincent grabbed the other side of it, pushing it with them. They snuck a glance wordlessly towards him and met his steely eyes. He narrowed his eyes sourly and straightened himself out again, moving away from them. 

His eyes still felt like they were on them, accusing them of something they hadn’t done.

~~~~

“Uh, you know where everything else is right?” They realized suddenly with this question how long they had been on autopilot. They realized it was directed towards them once the silence built between them. They faced her and nodded slowly.

“Think so.” They gaped around, turning around in a small circle as she walked ahead. This academy was known for so much, for the comfortable interior, for the dancers who worked themselves to the bone, and for the killer ambition the students and teachers held. 

Undoubtedly, it was a nice place. The halls of the dorms were decorated minimally with pieces that represented elegance in their still nature. The hallways felt suddenly eerie as she left them behind. They cleared their throat and followed suit behind her, clutching their bag tightly. 

She grinned at them, shaking her head as she motioned to the door at the end of the hallway. “Great, cause this is the last stop. Welcome to your new home!”

She gestured to the door, waiting for Taylor’s move now. They grabbed the door handle and opened it, greeted with a mostly bare room. 

The cream walls were empty, aside from one side, which had posters from various ballets in one corner of the room. There were two beds, both on opposite sides of the room, but also both empty. There were no sheets on either bed, which they had expected for their own but not the other considering the posters hanging over it.

They walked inside with the girl, realizing they had forgotten her name when they opened their mouth. They looked over her, trying to recall a name that went with her appearance. She stood still, aside from rolling her right ankle gradually in circles. 

“Zalmona, uh…” Taylor trailed off, watching for her reaction. She looked at them and furrowed her brows. They sighed and motioned to the occupied wall.

“Ah, is my roommate doing their laundry?” She frowned a little and looked at the bed. She pressed her hands deep into the pockets of her coat and shook her head. 

“You don’t have one as of now. This was Vanora’s room, we always thought she was lucky because she got a room to herself unlike most of us on this floor… Right next door to the Edgeworth’s too. She probably won’t be back here though, as much as it sucks.”

The way she spoke about her was off-putting. It was the same way you’d talk about someone as if you were just remembering a faint memory of them. Something happened that left her as this illusion of a memory, something that Zalmona seemed to dance around carefully.

She leaned against the door frame and looked at the bed. Her lips curled up into a weak smile as she stared at the flimsy mattress. Taylor watched from a distance, then went ahead and threw their bag on the unclaimed bed. A thin puff of dust came from it, which made them crinkle their nose. 

This room had been untouched for a while, especially the bed.

They coughed as Zalmona moved from the door, watching them with concern. She swiped her finger against the desk opposite from the side of the room Taylor stood at. 

The desk had small pictures, ones of a girl with short, black hair. She was dressed simply, according to how the small family was dressed. They all shared prim smiles, the girl sharing hers with a man next to her. The familiar man, who had his hand on her shoulder endearingly. Taylor’s eyes were drawn to the boy by her, on the edge of the picture. He didn’t look like the rest of her family and was placed at the end of the group too. It was standard placement for someone joining a family picture who might not be in it the next year in circumstances that might vary but could all narrow down to one thing. 

Even more interesting— The boy had to be Vincent. Perhaps a picture that was taken when he was younger, as his face was much softer than it was currently. 

They held their tongue though and looked at her. She rubbed the dust between her fingers and only took one more glance towards the bed.

“I’ve heard a lot about her. What happened?”

She looked at them and scoffed. Her lips pressed tightly together and she looked over Taylor, who remained neutral. Her face quickly softened when she realized the genuineness of the question.

“Thought Albert would have told you. Come on.” She turned before they could get a look at her expression, motioning for them to follow suit. They followed her outside of the room, trailing close behind as she walked towards the lounge. No one was there yet, just a bunch of empty couches and cushions that were strewn over them. A few large windows offered a peek outside, this time displaying the view of buildings that towered around the academy. 

Zalmona didn’t introduce them to the room, instead, she took a sharp turn towards the door to the left. She was swift, despite always favoring one leg when moving. They walked after her into the narrow stairway and glanced around. It was dark inside, with little light to guide them. They squinted once light hit their eyes out of nowhere, illuminating the stairwell. They went after it, following Zalmona out of a door.

They were outside now, standing tall on the roof. They centered themself with a deep breath and shuddered. The frigid wind kept them under their thumb as they followed her. It whipped painfully at their face, leaving their cheeks red from its icy furor. Zalmona seemed unbothered by the height and cold, gesturing around. 

Her face went stark as she glanced over the dangerous ledge and jumped onto it. She walked over it as if it was a tightrope, her beat up sneakers drawing over it as she moved across it casually.

“She was apparently doing just what I was doing— pure conjecture from the detectives— and fell. The wind? Slippery shoes?”

Taylor froze as she took more tentative steps, casting a glance over the ledge again. She spun around on her heel to face them with a downcast glare.

“It was an unfortunate accident that happened when no one was watching her, so no one knows for sure.” Their heartbeat drowned out the screeching wind, overwhelming as Zalmona teetered. She stretched one leg back onto the roof and let herself down, unable to calm the intense worry that had overcome themself.

“We do know, however, she had impeccable balance… Therefore we all know it couldn’t have been that.”

She looked off, staring at the ledge with an unmistakable longing. Taylor couldn’t look at it. They couldn’t fathom the idea of the girl who slowly was becoming a person to them, a girl who was very much real and who they took the place of, falling helplessly from such a height. A girl their own age. 

“Did the police further the investigation?”

Their eyes met for a moment until Zalmona began to walk past them. “How could they when everyone has come up with flawless lies? I don’t want to be the next one on that pavement, and you shouldn’t either. She’ll be out of the hospital and will reveal the truth sooner or later.”

She didn’t even look at them. She walked to the door and closed the door behind herself, leaving them behind again. They fixated their eyes on the door and held their breath for a moment as they subconsciously moved towards the ledge. Their head spun as they did, making the ground move under them as they lurched back.

They couldn’t bear to consider her thought process at the time. What went through her mind as she fell freely? What was that like?

She survived, but what would be the cost?

Something told them to get back, screaming at them and alarming them to keep a considerable distance. They did that and hurried towards the door, slamming it behind themself.

Before they could process it they were headed down the stairs. Their feet ached with each step, now being computed spitefully as they descended slowly. The darkness was for once comforting while they tried to make their way back with a newfound fear. A fear of the other students, who had seemed innocent enough.

Some surely weren’t if they would go far enough to push a girl and attempt to cover it up.

They wobbled down with thick nausea in the back of their throat. They reached the bottom and pushed the door open, grateful for the light that lit up the area. They shut the door behind themself and shuddered one more time. They wrapped their arms around themself and glanced around the quiet room. Zalmona seemed to have disappeared, probably to her own dorm. 

She had to have cared deeply for the girl of extreme mystique. That, or she could possibly be a rival who kept her close as the saying went.

They walked towards the nearest couch and looked over it, getting a pair of intense eyes staring back at them. He smiled up at them and tapped the pencil between his fingers against the notebook he had propped against his legs. 

Albert sat up and slipped the pencil between the rings. His smile came as a relief as to them while they leaned against the back of the couch. He wore a black turtleneck with a necklace over it. It held a single pearl, one he always wore, that hung high enough around his neck to rest above the collar of his hoodie.

Taylor ran their fingers back through their hair, splaying their bangs as they huffed and sank a little lower against the couch. The idea of the girl raced in their mind, urging them to ask Albert. Curiosity would get the best of them eventually and they’d get a dour glare that’d make them even regret the question. Was it even their business?

“I think the homesickness is setting in.” They finally chuckled out with a laugh that was laced with their nerves. He leaned over, knocking the back of his hand gently against their forehead. “Odd. You never really have gotten homesick before, have you?” 

They chewed on the inside of their cheek and began drumming their fingers against the canvas fabric. They watched while he brought his fist back to rest against his cheek and continued to smile at them. They shook their head. “Just rethinking this whole situation…”

“You shouldn’t. You’re fully capable of pursuing ballet here just like the rest of us, if you keep saying you’re unsure then you’ll eventually set yourself up to fail,” He gave a trivial look to the door, then to them. 

“Now for my concerns… What were you doing on the roof?”

They stopped drumming their fingers. They leaned back slightly and pinched their own arm. He waited and attempted to make eye contact with them as they looked at the tile. “Needed fresh air. Zalmona showed me up there.” They muttered out to him hastily. He raised one of his brows and let his smile dissipate. 

He thread his fingers around the necklace, twisting it as they spoke. He nodded slowly, as if still attempting to read Taylor’s actions. “Don’t make a habit of it, she isn’t the greatest person to be around.” They stayed silent.

He rose from the couch and regained his smile. He thumbed open the notebook, then motioned back towards the hallway. 

“We should go study up for what you’ve missed in the core classes.”

Taylor sighed, feeling relief again as he became warm. Even if he could be unnerving, he was still one of their friends.


	2. After Dark

Her favorite place was the roof.

It was the rush of adrenaline that hit her as she spun in place on the edge. It was upheld by a breath she held tightly in her chest as she threw her arms back, turning one leg in so she perfectly balanced on one leg. She tilted her head back and forced her body to bend to her will. She did this all while only having taken a single breath.

Plus, she loved to glance over and see the nervous anticipation of her partner. She dropped out of her arabesque and stepped down, moving towards her as if she was performing an adagio. She outstretched her arms, met with a hefty embrace from the other. 

Her voice was wavering as she spoke, holding onto her tightly. She leaned into her tight embrace and sighed, finally relaxing from her tense pose. 

“Can’t you practice elsewhere, Vanora?” She breathed out and held her even tighter, grasping at her shoulders as if to keep her from getting back up onto the hazardous ledge.

Vanora pulled back and smiled immediately. She lifted her head slightly so she could gently press her lips to her forehead. “It’s so much more than just practicing. It helps me train.” She brushed her stray white hairs aside and kissed her forehead again. Her partner frowned and pulled back while her cheeks darkened. 

“But it’s unsafe… You’ll fall if you keep it up.” Vanora sighed again, then held her hand out to her.

“Zalmona. It’ll be okay, I know when my balance is off and when it isn’t.”

Her eyes shadowed with worry with her words. Her grasp only continued to tighten, pulling her from the potential accident waiting to happen. Vanora allowed her too with little resistance, only turning back once to look at the ledge. 

From there, especially at this hour, she could catch glimpses of the glittery lights. They’d zoom past if she spun too fast, or would be dizzying if she went too slow. They shined bright in the deep night, but not enough to blind her. They fueled her determination and served as a reminder of where she could go if she kept her pace, if she just pushed a little harder and rebuffed any obstacles that would tether her. 

For now she planned to hold off on it. She’d abide by the comfort of her girlfriend if it meant she’d be happy too. She turned to her again and let out a wispy sigh as she grabbed her hand. “Please? Trust me?” She rolled her eyes back at her.

“I trust you...” She finally mumbled, bringing her hand up to her cheek gently. Vanora let a content smile rest on her lips before she leaned forward. She pressed her lips to her’s, then tapped her finger to the tip of her nose.

“Besides, you’re here. I wouldn’t do this if I was alone.” Her voice was soft as she whispered this, going in for another brief kiss. Her lips twitched up into a smile momentarily as she brought her closer. 

Zalmona’s grasp tightened around her hand as she pulled back and nodded towards the door. She let a toothy smile light up her face as she continued to pull her along. “I’d hope you wouldn’t! If you fell…”

“If. I wouldn’t fall, so there’s no need to even say if.” Vanora continued to follow her, descending down into the dark stairway connected to the door. She squinted and kept her steps concise as they continued, brushing the next step with care to see if she would be clear to step down. 

The exasperated sigh from her girlfriend was enough to paint a picture in her head of what her expression was. In her mind, she could picture her frown, the small one she’d do that always came off as adorable no matter how annoyed she would get. “Don’t get all valiant because you feel unstoppable.”

She stayed silent as she continued to adjust to the darkness by glancing around. Warily, she responded, “I’m not. I just know the extent of my abilities. I need the practice.”

Now it was her turn to be quiet. Vanora looked over her shoulder and squinted, hoping her face would be somewhat visible. Zalmona turned around, squeezing her hand again. She shrugged, then stepped up and tilted her chin up to bring herself to her level. A sweet look softened her eyes even with her serious stare. “Of all people who need it you don’t. This shit comes so easy to you, but you never trust yourself. You don’t have to do a bunch of crazy stunts to practice or to show off, you just need to do the bare minimum because you already do well.”

Her words were endearing, but weren’t enough. They could never be enough.

She managed a weak smile and leaned over. She gently pressed her lips to her’s, smiling as she did so. Zalmona sighed into it, but then briefly kissed back. She backed away, walking backwards with a subtle smile now on her lips. Vanora rolled her eyes and continued down with her. 

Their priorities weren’t aligned, but she’d never have the heart to break it to Zalmona. She was set, but she still wished she could make her fit as she looked at the pleasant smile on her face. She smiled back and kept the thoughts from continuing as they reached the door together. “I know.”

Zalmona let go of her hand and threw open the door. Now in the light, she gave a small bow and motioned towards the lounge with a wink. 

“Go on ahead.”

She let out a soft chuckle and walked out, blinking heavily to adjust to the light. She bowed her head and curtsied elegantly. “Why thank you.” The two began to laugh together, the air between them becoming lighter. 

Zalmona stood to attention quickly, then closed the door carefully behind her. She sauntered over to her and playfully elbowed her, only making her snort as she did the same to her. 

Between breathy laughs, Zalmona managed to speak, “Why, I do declare you’re the diamond of the season!” Her smile beamed brightly and gave a quick twirl around, her gauzy dress following her direction. 

“Miss Zalmona, your compliments always take me by surprise.” She gave a much more complicated curtsy, one she did by lowering herself to the ground and holding out her arms before rising again dramatically. Both of them began to giggle in unison until they heard another voice join in over their laughs.

“Why, what’s so funny?”

The smooth voice made her perk up, breaking her away immediately from the laughs. Zalmona trailed off and glanced at her as Vanora smiled towards the approaching boy. She gave a small wave to him and shook her head. He smirked to them and waved back, adjusting his hoodie. “Nothing.”

She crossed her arms and tucked her hair behind her ear as he walked around them. He ran his hand through his messy, dark hair and yawned slowly. She turned around, still smiling as he made his way to the small kitchenette. Zalmona glanced at her and to him. She looked down at her wrist, pretending to be occupied with the watch around her wrist. 

“It’s none of your business, Draco.” She mumbled, tapping against it silently. He waved over his own shoulder and began using the sink, placing a small bowl under the water. “Just making conversation, no need to be so cagey.” She grimaced towards him and nodded to Vanora. “We should go.” She glanced towards her as she motioned towards the hallway. 

Again, Zalmona glanced at him, then to her. She repeated this a few more times and offered up a wary smile. Her voice came out much quieter than normal, paired with her face contouring itself into a furtive expression.

“Vanora?”

She smiled at her, one she hoped would be enough reassurance. It was a curt smile, one that came easy to her. Vanora shook her head and motioned towards Draco, who drowned them out with the loud faucet. Zalmona frowned, but nodded slowly. Vanora grimaced and moved forward as she walked towards the hall, slumping her shoulders in. She glanced back to watch her as she made her way back to her dorm with a small twinge of guilt annoying her thoughts. She walked towards Draco, curiously peering over his shoulder while he ran the water over the dish aimlessly. 

She stared a moment longer until he finally looked at her and offered up a sheepish smile. Slowly, he reached for one of the neatly folded towels and nodded to her. He glanced over his shoulder towards the hall, then back to her. “Why didn’t Zalmona stay?”

“She was headed to her dorm. Why are you on dish duty again?”

He let a smug smile curl his lips. He shook his head bashfully, letting his hair fall over his eyes. “Vincent is trying to cram in more studying than what is required. I don’t mind it, I prefer cleaning over the amount of classes he does.” She watched the water spread over the surface rapidly as he scrubbed at it with a small sponge. He took in a deep breath and shook his head, then smiled at her. She slowly smiled back, then grabbed a towel from the counter and offered it to him. 

“So he does the work and you do the cleaning?”

“I just don’t have as much homework, he does help though,” He paused to take the towel, brushing his fingers over her hand for a moment. She took in a quick breath and flicked her eyes up at him. “But we both know you don’t want to hear about that.” He wiped down the bowl and shook his head.

She shrugged, then leaned against the counter as he continued. The question was starting to eat at her as he began to whistle aimlessly. It filled the silence they had brewed.

It urged her again, the idea of pushing herself to go for it. She wrung a section of fabric from her dress as she considered the question a while longer. She took in a deep breath through her nose and finally nodded. 

“I want to dance with you.”

He stopped and reached for the faucet, turning off the faucet with a small chuckle. “Me? Pardon me for this, but I assumed Vincent would be more on par with you.”

He mirrored her pose by leaning against the counter in a similar fashion. He ran his fingers back through his thick hair and let a handsomely smug smile light up his face. She shook her head and offered him a light grimace. “I don’t particularly like his partnering style. We just don’t mesh well, but you’re a really good dancer…” He raised his brows and smiled as she spoke. His air of handsomeness didn’t cease even as he began to awkwardly chuckle.

“Again, I assure you it’s Vincent that’d be in your best interests. This would be for the upcoming auditions, right?”

Vincent, who made it a point to purposefully drop her at least once every time they partnered. Each time he lifted her she’d tense in his grasp. Fear would settle deep in her stomach. It felt like going up a rollercoaster that made her want to scream to get off, to get away.

With Draco it was like that too, but he took care to gain her trust quickly. She broke out of her straight-faced disposition and gave him a weak smile. “No, I liked that one time when we danced together. I’d just like to practice with you if you didn’t mind. I’d rather dance with someone who’s nice to me,” He shot her an amused glance, one that made her suddenly clear her throat and return back to her monotonous expression, “no offense to your brother. Creative differences, simply.” 

“Doesn’t seem too much like creative differences… But I’ll take you up on your offer.” He continued to smile her way, offering his hand to her. She took his hand, shaking it firmly. The start of a new partnership.

~~~~

Waking up in a cold sweat from a dream they couldn’t remember, they began gasping for breath. They sprang up from their creaky bed with their limbs shaking hard. They took in deep breaths, trying to steady themself as they leaned forward. Curling up, they pressed their forehead against their knees and shuddered a couple of times before glancing over their shoulder. The red lines of the clock cut through the darkness in looming numbers. Midnight.

They leaned forward again, hugging their knees to their body as they breathed out heavily. They glanced to the left to eye the empty bed, squinting through the shadows. They sat up and scooted off the bed, carefully getting their footing as they stood. 

The dream remained unclear to them as they rubbed at their eyes wearily, unable to conjure up the remainders of it. They pushed their hands back through their bangs and shook their head to wake from the haze clouding their head. The week had been enough for them, overwhelmingly tense and as if they were tiptoeing around eggshells the whole time. Each night they woke up like this only made them wonder more and more about the accident excessively.

It didn’t help that they were staying in what was her dorm. It was like every time they opened the door they’d get disappointed stares that would cast them off. This environment was stifling from day one, it was enough to make them want to succumb to the pressure and throw in the towel early. 

They instead grabbed onto the side of their desk and steadied themself. They took a few deep breaths and wiped the back of their forehead. An exasperated breath came from them as they groggily rolled their shoulders back and let out a gaping yawn. They could feel their muscles straining and waking with each stretch. 

They squinted through the shadows of midnight and tiptoed towards forward. With an outstretched right arm they fumbled for the nearby wall. A small string of curses escaped their lips as they were met with the smooth surface until they felt something jab their hand. They pulled back, then flicked it on. 

The room illuminated itself and brought a harsh light onto the surroundings. Their gaze settled again on the unoccupied side. Seeing it empty left a sick feeling deep in their stomach. They turned and tore away from it to stare at their own side. With an aimless walk, they grabbed their bag off of the floor and slung it over their shoulder. 

They slipped on their boots and walked to the door slowly, reaching out until they came to a hesitant stop.

Their movements were like clockwork, following the same pattern they would when they were back home. Back home, where they’d take the spare key to the dance studio their parents owned and they’d walk in the bleak hours along the streets. It always led to them hurrying into the safety of the studio, locking it behind them so it’d just be them and the enclosed space with the floors the cleanest they had ever seen them.

The lights always set a moody ambiance they found to be relaxing. The tone of it left them to stretch and begin a combination they had previously learned. No matter what, they would tense themself to stay alert while attempting to land fouettés, a grand jete, or a carefully articulated developpe if they were feeling more sluggish. 

And as always, they’d fall asleep somewhere in their mother’s office. They always knew where they could be found in the morning. This wasn’t synonymous with that though.

This meant sneaking downstairs in a building that was bound to creak and risking their own tuition and education just so they could find a way to get out any frustrations that plagued their thoughts and kept them from sleeping. This wasn’t quite the same as leaving the house in the dead of the night to go to a secure location their parents would be sure to find them at, nor would any staff that might catch them be merciful to them.

They took the chance and opened the door, peeking out for any RAs that might be passing by. They tiptoed over the old boards, holding their breath as they pulled the door to a quiet close and headed over to the elevator and staircase. They skimmed over both, then darted towards the staircase.

They walked along the edge of it, clutching their bag to their side as they listened for any oncoming staff members. It was almost like a game: see how long you can go without getting caught.

But they took small steps and hurried down the stairs lightly, following the lights but sticking to the immediate shadows lining the walls. It concealed them easily enough from the cameras on the bottom floor. They looked up at the ceiling and moved carefully, trying to figure out the blindspots to duck around and shield themself from. Once away from these cameras, they glanced into the nearest studios. 

The streetlights from outside lit up each of them with a soft orange light. They passed by them slowly, watching the distant people who lurked at night, going about their own business. It was different from when they were back at home, the studio had curtains that blocked out the outside world and concealed them when they were dancing through the night.

They passed by a few, pulling on the handle with a cautious tug every so often to only be met with a tightly locked door. They sighed quietly, not knowing what else they would have expected, and continued down the line of studios. 

Now they focused on the distant lights that gleamed in the distance, being something they could be distracted by as they reached the end of the hall. They wouldn’t admit that they were interested in seeing the city, not with it being a potential downfall for them to reveal by accident to someone waiting for them to fall, to bring the newbie down before they could prove their worth.

Taylor stopped, reaching out to the handle with little hope. They brushed their fingertips over it and gave a light pull. They were met with little resistance. They took in a deep breath and glanced around quickly to check again for any staff, waiting to see if any would appear. They peered into the studio and did another check, scanning the room for anyone. Only deep shadows from where the light didn’t touch was what occupied the studio. They were about to open it when a leg gracefully stepped out. 

They froze, grasped the door suddenly, and wondered what their next move should be. If it was a staff member, they definitely had already seen them and heard the door creak open. The leg slowly connected to a body, which stepped further out into the dim lighting. The face of the person looked almost ominous, but was recognizable to them as Vincent. His shoulders lowered as if he too had let out a deep breath, then he glowered at them with his cold gaze. 

He moved towards the doors quickly, then held it open. 

“Hurry in if you’re going to practice.”

They walked in without hesitance, mumbling a quick thank you in his general direction. They kept their head down to hide the eyes, not wanting much to do with him either way. Usually, they preferred being alone. 

The door shut with a soft click. They turned around and met his eyes hastily, met with a similarly neutral expression they wore.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly and turned to his shadowy corner again, reaching over to grab a water and take a long swig of it. They walked towards the other corner to hide in the shadows and plopped down for a moment. While they brought their bag to their lap, they eyed Vincent as he set his water down and walked out into the light again. He centered himself, anchoring in his breaths as he began a graceful move. He whipped around in a tour en l’air, seeming perfect as he kept his chin up. He landed swiftly and immediately pushed through his footwork with care. 

They wondered why he was there, or how he even got in, but decided that the latter wasn’t their business and the former was glaringly obvious.

Instead of joining in on the rehearsing, they dug through their bag to find their shoes. They kicked off their boots and slid their pointe shoes on. They found themself looking up at him again, observing his careful motions, his character work. His face stayed blank no matter what.

It was something that seemed to bring down his performance. They cleared their throat and looked back down, focusing on tying their ribbons. 

“Say it. What did I mess up on?”

They froze again, mentally cursing as they felt him boring his eyes into their head. They shook their head and fixed the ankle of their sweats.

“This is the variation for the upcoming auditions, right?”

The moment they glanced up they caught sight of him looking down at them. It felt almost demeaning as if he wasn’t going to take their criticism despite hearing it. 

“Yes.” He finally mumbled.

They gave a small shrug and sat up, looking off to keep from feeling overwhelmed by his icy gaze. “Your expressions are flat. I have no idea what you’re trying to portray.”

They bit into their lip as he stayed remotely silent. They lifted themself up and walked towards one of the stray barres that was nearby the window. They ignored him as they grabbed onto it and breathed in deeply as they began stretching carefully with nothing else weighing on their mind.

When they closed their eyes they could hear him repeating those same steps, one that they could picture perfectly. They opened their eyes again and glanced back. He ran his hand back through his hair and ruffled it, then began again, trying to keep a moderately pleasant smile along his face. 

They leaned forward and looked forward again, wincing suddenly while a dull ache rolled through their leg. They held it there, waiting for it to pass as they listened to the repetitive sounds that came from him dancing. He huffed loudly, groaning and interrupting their thoughts. They looked back at him again and watched him go over it again, this time seeing the much more polished expression and moves without him cringing audibly. 

He took a moment to stare at himself in the mirror and made a few different expressions.

They slowly pulled their leg off of it and turned to him. “You got it now.”

He rolled his eyes and glanced over, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. “I know.” They rolled their shoulders back as he looked over the floor, probably marking his spots with careful consideration. It was a matter of going from point a and landing at point b with impeccable strength, likely to be also pushing through some form of pain. Just the same as them once they would start their routine. Unlike him, they weren’t planning on working on an audition, especially not considering they were late.

That simple delay meant they were behind. There wasn’t a place for them yet in the unfathomable hierarchy of the academy in the level they were in. Therefore, they weren’t going to even bother with auditioning.

That didn’t mean they weren’t going to test the waters. “Why don’t you practice with someone, it’s partnered, isn’t it?”

“If you haven’t noticed, it’s quite obviously midnight. I wasn’t going to drag Victor out and hear him complain about how late it was for him to do pointe.”

“It is pretty late for that.”

He continued to stare right at them. “Why are you here then?”

“I‘m wondering the same about you. Is it any of your business though?” They jabbed back, making sure Vincent understood they wouldn’t be playing around. He cleared his throat and watched them from the mirror. 

“I can assume. Either we think the same, or one of us is here to get a head start practicing the audition piece.”

“You can figure it out yourself.” They dryly smirked as he shook his head. 

“You’re like me, maybe. You dance late at night and hope that it’ll remedy something… Stress, pent up anger… A nightmare?” They looked at him in the mirror, watching his reflection now. It mirrored his smug expression that was displayed as a crystal-clear painting of his face. He nodded slowly and continued, “I’m right, aren’t I?”

Their eyes flicked to their side, now looking at him out of the corner of their eyes. “If it’s the same reason you’re here then you definitely know my answer.” 

“Mmm. Well, it’s always open to you if you don’t mind sharing and don’t tell anyone about it.” They mumbled a quiet ‘thank you’, then quickly blocked him out. They took in a deep breath and let their arms fall into a strictly trained pose, leading with a few fluttery steps into a quick bouree, trying to warm themself up and engage their muscles. They focused on the process of centering their stress of the past week. It helped it melt away as they enjoyed the space, stretching themself to the limit by throwing one of their legs up and allowing their flexibility to add to the choreo they created even before they ever thought of attending this place.

They breathed out steadily and stopped for a moment, feeling a chill go up their back in the middle of it. They looked at him, met with a wide-eyed stare, then grimaced to him. 

“Can I help you?”

“I didn’t know you could dance like that.” He cleared his throat near the end of this and he gave them a quiet nod. They grimaced in return and shook their head. 

“Did you assume I was terrible at it despite getting into this academy?”

“No, just assumed you did the bare minimum.”

They scoffed and placed their hands on their hips, keeping a deadpan gaze on him. He raised a brow at him. “Says the one who comes to class late.”

He rolled his eyes and paced around them for a moment. He looked them over as they turned with him, keeping eye contact with him. He finally crossed his arms and looked out the window.

“I don’t owe you an explanation on that.”

“Nor do I need to hear your assumptions.”

“Fair enough, but I do have a question.” He mumbled as he looked at them again. They exhaled, vexed still, but motioned for him to continue. 

“Have you practiced the audition piece yet?”

That piece was one that had been “leaked” by one of the older dancers. It was for the upcoming auditions for the show they were putting on, Romeo and Juliet. There had been talk, but they hadn’t heard as much as the others in the class. They knew the ballet well, having used the audition piece that had been decided on as a showcase piece years ago. 

“Is it the ballroom pas?”

“Yes.”

They bit into their lip tentatively. “I know of it. I’ve done it in the past, but… It’s been a while. I don’t think I’ll focus on it, I’d rather focus on the early classes we have.”

There was a subtle silence that grew between them. He cleared his throat again and kept his chin up. “Would you mind helping me? I don’t wish to partner with you for the audition though, so you wouldn’t have to worry about performing with me.”

They smirked slightly, feeling somewhat satisfied that he was now asking for their assistance. They pretended like they were weighing the pros and cons, now pacing around him. On their face they feigned a look that made them seem deep in thought, then gave a dramatic turn as they faced him.

“I’d like something in it for me too. I want access to this studio at night whenever I want it and not just when you’re rehearsing. Maybe a spare key to this place?”

He narrowed his eyes, once again becoming cold.

“That’s all you want?”

They looked around and hummed for a moment, then shrugged. “Take it or leave it.”

“It’s a deal. I’ll have the key to you soon. Is there anything you need a refresher on?”

He went over quick markings once they nodded. They listened to his careful instructions and pictured it in their mind in quick moves. They both walked together, with them stealing quick glances to him. They reminded themself they weren’t afraid of him. Vincent was illusive to them. They hadn’t heard much about him other than Albert’s small gripes about him, which offered them nothing but a shallow reasoning for them to dislike him. 

They ignored any reasons and instead stood with him, listening to his counts, internalizing the beats while taking in a deep breath. 

Any previous considerations were erased as they began, mirroring each other at first. They willed their muscles to remember how to step, how to jump, how to focus on their own part. Light, playful, they considered this with their movements to keep themself from being too bold or sharp as they went forward. They did flinch for a moment when they felt him pull them up into a life, but regained control of their nerves after feeling the quick rush that came with it. It stayed in the back of their mind how tightly he held them, as if he was afraid to drop them. They compensated for it, landing with ease and little complaint for Vincent’s methods so far. The light from the outside seemed to whir around them as they brought themself into a pirouette, plieing carefully even if he held onto their hand. 

Once they came back up it was his turn to have his moment, gracefully flitting up into a cabriolé. He seemed to float for a moment, embodying the move concisely up until he landed. They joined him again, mirroring his motions, being pulled into a lift. Each time led to a carefully constructed landing but always was accompanied by a stomach churning feeling moments before when he was the only thing supporting them when they were off the ground. 

They repeated this sequence a few more times, only hearing the sound that came each time either made any kind of movement across the floor. But no matter how many times they practiced, they couldn’t shake the odd feeling. It was something they pushed down, knowing if they showed just an ounce more of distrust in him it’d completely hinder their willingness to practice. 

They finally ended, both trying to catch their breath as they inched away from each other. He wiped his forehead hastily, clearing it of the beads of sweat forming on his skin, while they breathed in gradually and held it deep in their lungs. They let go of it with a gasping breath when it began to sting. 

He nodded to them, then walked towards his bag. They turned their head to watch him as he grimaced, muttering, “You did alright.” They grimaced, but continued to focus on regaining their breath. He glanced at them as he hastily walked towards the door, pausing to acknowledge them with a curt nod.

They mirrored his movement for the last time, then watched as he disappeared into the shadows of the hallway.

His hollow praise rang in their ears. Alright. They weren’t expecting such a stringent response considering they had done this on the spot at his request and weren’t even given a proper ‘thank you’. It was easier then to understand the sentiments Albert held about him.


End file.
